7/7/07

Gubaaament minimising, diminishing indigenous rights

Wednesday, 4 July 2007, 4:46 pmPress Release: The Maori PartyDeclaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:

'Government minimising and diminishing indigenous rights'

Hone Harawira, Maori Party spokesman for Foreign Affairs

Wednesday 4 July 2007

"I'm gutted but not surprised to hear that the Government is ready tovote on the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples at theUnited Nations, without bothering to talk to indigenous people aboutit first," said Hone Harawira, Maori Party spokesman for Foreign Affairs.

"And I'm not surprised by the deafening silence coming from Labour'sMaori Caucus either," said Harawira. "I mean, once they rolled over onthe Foreshore and Seabed, they were never going to stand up for Maorirights again."

"Apparently government had thirteen meetings with Maori over a periodof six years, but none with hapu, and none with iwi either," saidHarawira. "For heaven's sake, they didn't even bother to ask the MaoriParty, and we hold four of the seven Maori seats."

"It took more than twenty years of travel, negotiation, hassle,hustle, and horrendous cost from indigenous people all over the worldto get to a polite but acceptable declaration on minimum human rightsstandards for indigenous people."

"And then last year, the indigenous world accepted yet another'compromise' which was put to the United Nations Human Rights Council,and adopted and supported widely."

"And what did our government do, this government that talks aboutMaori potential?" asked Harawira. "They not only opposed it, theydemanded changes to even further minimise and diminish indigenousrights," said Harawira.

"Maori deserve to know what's going on with indigenous rights,"demanded Harawira. "The Africans are putting forward open amendments,Canada has gone public with what it's doing, Mexico is pushing for theadoption of last year's text, and New Zealand is out the back tryingto cut everything to pieces".

"We are very, very angry about all this. Maori, not just the MaoriParty, but every Maori has a right to know what this government isdoing about indigenous rights," said Harawira, "and Maori also have aright to full participation in the discussion on internationalstatements on indigenous rights."

"Either this government starts coming up with some answers and someaction," said Harawira ominously, "or the Maori Party may send adelegation to the United Nations to expose this government'scontinuing hypocrisy on human rights for indigenous people."

Pacific Media Centre

Scoop Pacific

bilaterals.org

Aotearoa IMC - Newswire

"Australia and NZ remained unrepentant for their brutal suppression of indigenous independence movements in the Pacific. They rationalized such behavior as enhancing the welfare of the Islands and the human development of their people – just as they justified similar behavior towards indigenous peoples in their own countries"